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- Course
Most recently taught Spring 2026
- Topics on: Climate Justice, Climate Policy, politics
- Course
Most recently taught Fall 2024
Climate change mitigation is the greatest global political challenge of our times. This course uses concepts drawn from the broader political science literature to analyze the recent history and possible future trajectories of interactions between international and domestic politics and climate change. It focuses on mitigation questions, and includes the international political economy of various relevant commercial sectors. It has no prerequisites, and no background knowledge is required. The course has two fundamental goals: to increase student understanding of the complexity of political issues and interests involved in global climate change problems, and to counter growing climate despair by suggesting realistic paths forward toward global net zero carbon emissions. Class lectures will leave significant time for student questions and discussion. There is also a required weekly discussion section, BC3005.
- Topics on: Mitigation, Net Zero, Net Zero Strategies, politics
- Course
Following the events of Hurricane Sandy, New York City has emerged as a leading city for climate action, pushing forward and experimenting with a broad range of climate policies and tools, including climate adaptation and resilience measures, decarbonization actions and legislation, environmental justice, and fossil fuel divestment, among others.
This course will offer a focused study of New York City’s approach to confronting our climate crisis. This will include an exploration of the many actions taken by NYC, their effectiveness, proposals to build upon or improve them, and their comparisons to other actions around the globe. This course is designed to encourage active discussion, participation, and practical application of the material.
The assignments and activities aim to help students build a solid understanding of key concepts while developing analytical skills, which will then apply to real-world scenarios. Guest lecturers with experience in New York City’s climate policy actions may join from time to time.
- Topics on: Climate Policy, Climate Resilence, Decarbonization
- Course
Most recently taught Fall 2025
The Impact Investing course provides students with an overview of the entire spectrum of investing approaches used by impact investors. This is done through a combination of cases and lectures by the professor, and guest presentations by leading impact investors and thought leaders. The substantive areas covered include: (1) how investors and investment managers and advisors select and structure their impact investments; (2) the differing financial return and social impact return expectations of impact investors; and (3) the challenges and methodologies for measuring impact. This course is designed around the different types of impact investments from the perspective of investors, and is composed of four modules:
1. Responsible Investing – socially responsible investing (SRI) is designed to screen public equity investments of companies or sectors believed to be causing social harm.
2. Sustainable Investing – also referred to as ESG investing, is designed to select public or private equity investments using fundamental analysis that incorporates environmental, social, and governance factors.
3. Thematic Investing –private equity and venture capital investments designed to earn a market risk-adjusted return while also addressing a specific social or environmental problem.
4. Impact First Investing – private investments designed primarily to address a social or environmental problem, with no expectation of achieving market returns.
- Topics on: Business, Climate Investing, ESG, Impact Investing, Sustainable Finance
- Course
Natural-based solutions (Nbs) refer to actions aimed at protecting, better managing, and restoring nature to achieve climate goals. Adopting sustainable agricultural practices following agroecology principles provides a cost-effective Nbs pathway to mitigate climate impacts, while also ensuring food security and environmental sustainability. This course will introduce the principles of agroecology, the key concepts of carbon and nitrogen dynamics, as well as the commonly adopted agroecological practices across various agricultural landscapes, including croplands, grasslands, agroforestry, and urban agricultural systems. A combination of lectures, discussions, and field activities will be utilized to demonstrate how agroecological practices can be monitored in terms of their influence on ecosystem services.
This course will prepare students to apply principles of sustainability science to improved soil and agricultural management, addressing the growing need for better adoption of land based Nbs. This course will also delve into the technological aspects of Nbs monitoring that will help working professionals in conservation, environmental, and sustainable business organizations develop the necessary skills to evaluate the outcomes of sustainable land management practices to inform management decisions, policy making, and incentive-based programs. Designed to meet the degree requirements for Area 2 (Methods of Earth Observation and Measurement) and Area 5 (Sustainability Policy or Management) for the M.S. in Sustainability Science Program, this elective course aims to connect scientific methods with decision-making processes to prepare students to be leaders in sustainability and make impacts on both local and large-scale climate issues.
- Topics on: Sustainable Food Systems
- Course
Most recently taught Fall 2025
The goal of this course is to introduce fundamental principles of carbon dioxide capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) that enable carbon management and are necessary for climate change mitigation. This is a survey-style class – different CCUS technology options will be introduced and their underlying fundamental scientific and engineering principles will be taught. Real-world technologies in the carbon capture industry and examples of advanced scientific research in the field of CCUS will be discussed throughout the course. Course topics will include: point source carbon capture for power and industrial sources, carbon dioxide removal and direct air capture, electrochemical and thermochemical CO2 conversion, carbon mineralization and CO2 transport and storage. Additionally, students will learn to perform systems-level design and analyses of carbon management technologies and will be introduced to Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) and Technoeconomic Analysis (TEA) that can be applied to carbon management technologies and other engineering and design problems. Public engagement, social and environmental justice and policy considerations around carbon management will be discussed but the course focus will be science and technology. The course will have a significant emphasis on collaborative learning and will include a group design project focused on design and analysis of a carbon management process.
- Topics on: Climate Science, Decarbonization
- Course
This Physical Dimensions/Quantitative Analytics course will provide real-world information about energy management. Through lectures, problem sets, and readings, students will learn about energy audits, analyze the energy performance of various technologies, and evaluate the energy use and financial impacts of upgrades and operational improvements to building systems. Pending permission from various NYC job sites, we will also make a handful of field trips to view various energy-consuming technologies in vivo. This course is designed to provide all sustainability students with quantitative analytical tools.
While this course focuses largely on energy-efficiency in buildings, the principles involved apply to all areas of sustainability decision-making.
The course is a full-semester, in-person elective, and is generally open, space permitting and with the instructor’s written approval, to cross-registrants from all other Columbia University programs. There are no prerequisites, but students are strongly urged to acquire at least basic Excel skills, either on their own or via SUMA’s training resources.
- Topics on: Energy
- Course
Most recently taught in spring 2026.
Europe is at the forefront of climate policy globally. It has ambitious goals, concrete plans, and is working hard on the implementation. It is also facing significant challenges, from high energy costs to sluggish economic growth. Germany, Europe’s largest economy, has been in a recession for 2 years. This class will explore climate through the lens of green industrial policy in Europe, with an eye toward hard-to-abate sectors like steel and cement, the challenges facing companies in these sectors, and the opportunities a push into clean and low-carbon technologies provides.
You are not required but encouraged to enroll in B8212 Climate Policy concurrently during the Spring 2026 A-term, which will provide a broad survey of climate policy globally.
The course will travel to the EU during spring break 2026, visiting Germany and Belgium [and possibly the Netherlands]. We will begin the trip in Frankfurt and end in Brussels, requiring an EU Schengen visa. Global Immersion Program classes bridge classroom lessons and business practices in other countries. These three credit classes combine half a term in New York with a one-week visit, where students will meet with business executives and government officials while working on team projects. The 2025-2026 Global Immersion Program mandatory fee for all classes is $2100 and provides students with double occupancy lodging, ground transportation and some meals. It does not cover roundtrip international airfare. Attendance both in New York and in-country and regular participation are a crucial part of the learning experience and as such attendance is mandatory. Students who miss the first class meeting may be removed from the course. No program fee refunds will be given after the add/drop period has closed. Please visit the Chazen Institute website to learn more about the Global Immersion Program, and visit the Global Immersion Policies page to review policies affecting these courses. Please note all international travel involves risk. We do not control the cities and companies we visit. We try our best to plan a safe trip with positive experience. However, if your tolerance for risk or uncertainties is low, GIP is not for you.
- Topics on: Business and Climate Change, Climate Policy, Climate Tech, Decarbonization
- Course
Most recently taught Fall 2025
This course will educate students and support effective coastal resilience planning and climate justice, through social and data science learning and data acquisition and analysis, making use of emerging technologies and best practices for collaboration with environmental and climate justice practitioners.
Instruction is provided in two areas: i. climate adaptation planning & climate justice; and, ii. data science: acquisition, analysis and visualization. Students and instructors will work with two participating community-based climate and environmental justice organizations to collect and analyze biological, geographic and socio-economic data relevant to local resilience needs. Once the data has been acquired or generated and quality-assured, the students and community partner organizations will prepare it for presentation to federal, state and local planning officials, to help ensure that the resilience goals and related concerns identified by our community partners will be fully reflected in future planning by those officials.
- Topics on: Climate Justice, Climate Sustainability, Sustainable Cities
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Most recently taught Spring 2025
Providing for clean drinking water, healthy aquatic ecosystems and sustainable energy supplies is a growing challenge in today’s resource-hungry and climate-impacted world. True, lasting water and energy sustainability will require a combination of legal reforms, social cooperation and technical innovation with few if any precedents in US history. GU4050 examines the laws, social forces and technologies that have shaped America’s current water and energy policies and considers how these policies must change for us to achieve long-term sustainability. Class will be held in Martin Luther King (MLK) 609 on Mondays from 4:10 – 6 pm.
- Topics on: Climate Policy, Energy
- Course
Most recently taught Spring 2026
This advanced course teaches the real-world skills required to finance infrastructure assets, taught from the perspective of industry practitioners. Each week, students will learn how to apply project finance principles to invest in a different infrastructure asset, including utility-scale solar, wind, battery storage, natural gas, and nuclear projects. Classes will feature a mix of lectures, case studies, hands-on modeling, and discussions with industry experts.
Trillions of dollars in investment are needed to build the infrastructure to address climate change and the growing demand for electricity. This course is designed for the students wanting to learn how to make those investments. By the end of the course, students will be prepared to navigate the complexities of infrastructure finance, including the frameworks, tools, and skills to invest in projects driving the global energy transition.
- Topics on: Business, Business and Climate Change, Climate Finance, Energy, Project Finance, Sustainable Finance
- Course
Most recently taught Spring 2025
As human populations continue to expand, concurrent increases in energy and food will be required. Consequently, fossil fuel burning and deforestation will continue to be human-derived sources of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2). This increase in CO2 and other infra-red trapping gases is of consequence to human health—but for two reasons. The first is one you are all familiar with—climatic change—and the consequences from heat to air pollution, from water quality to migration. The second reason is that CO2 is the source of carbon for plants—and hence for all living things. And that increase, of and by itself, will also impact human health—directly (allergic dermatitis) and indirectly (human nutrition, medicine). In this course, our focus will be on how CO2 and climate change alter plant biology and the subsequent consequences for human health.
Overall, the course will have three main components. We begin with an overview of interactions between the plant kingdom and human health with a climate lens. In the second section we segue to a global overview of rising CO2 and climate change, and how those impacts, in turn, will influence all of the interactions related to plant biology and health with a merited focus on food security. Finally, for the remainder of the course, our emphasis will be on evaluating preventative strategies related to mitigation and adaptation to climate change impacts specific to potential transformations of plant biology’s traditional role in human society, and to communicate those evaluations simply and understandably to a lay audience.
The course is appropriate for students who are interested in global climate change and who wish to expand their general knowledge as to likely outcomes related to plant biology, and the consequences to human health, including food security, nutrition, pollen allergens, and ethnopharmacology.
- Topics on: Climate Sustainability, Sustainable Cities, Sustainable Food Systems
- Course
Most recently taught in taught Fall 2024
We need to transition toward a more environmentally-sustainable society given both pollution and its health effects, and the impacts of extreme weather and climate change. The production and consumption of energy is the largest contributor to these concerns, and so the transition to a clean energy economy is essential. The increasing energy needs of the world’s growing population make this an ongoing challenge. At the same time, energy security and affordability, and social and economic inequities, must also be considered. New technologies and effective policies are needed to help drive increased deployment of renewable energy and energy efficiency. Finance is also a key lever to drive the implementation of clean energy. The availability and cost of capital is a key determinant in scaling renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies.
This course focuses on the finance and market aspects of the clean energy economy, and integrates technology, policy, and finance to evaluate both the opportunities and challenges. There is a focus on renewable energy generation, as mass electrification using cleaner generation sources is necessary to sustain our energy-dependent lives and economies. The course also looks at energy efficiency, including specific end-uses of energy that are responsible for the majority of emissions (e.g., buildings, electric vehicles). Throughout the course, finance will be analyzed as a barrier to, or enabler of, greater adoption of clean energy.
This is a full semester course. Interactive lectures, and guest speakers where appropriate, will cover these topics in the first twelve classes (the final two remaining classes will be reserved for group presentations). The course can be divided into three sections (class numbers shown in parentheses):
- ● Acquiring a basic understanding of the U.S. electricity market: (1) history of the energy industry and the importance of finance, (2) energy fundamentals and electricity markets today, and (3) clean energy and grid integration.
- ● Applying the tools of finance to clean energy: (4) overview of key financing concepts, (5) financial modeling for energy projects, (6) review of key financing concepts.
- ● Integrating knowledge of the electricity market and finance to explore: (7) opportunities and challenges of clean energy, (8) rate design and the financing of distributed energy resources, (9) financing mechanisms for clean energy, (10) electric vehicles, (11) building energy efficiency, and (12) future of clean energy finance; conclusion.
Course assignments will include financial models, problem sets, case studies, and a final group presentation. The financial modeling will be designed to consider the varying levels of student experience. An important aspect of the course is for students to learn some of the analytical tools used by industry practitioners to make investment decisions. While no specific financial modeling experience is required, students should have basic spreadsheet skills or be prepared to learn them. As the course progresses, students will learn to appreciate the roles of technology, policy, and finance in the transition to a clean energy economy. Upon completion of this class, students should understand the fundamentals of the U.S. electricity sector, the role of clean energy, the opportunities and limitations of finance, and some of the different mechanisms to support clean energy finance.
This is an elective course designed for both students with a limited background in finance but with an interest in building that skill set, and students with prior backgrounds in finance that are seeking to apply those skills to financing the clean energy economy. Space permitting, the course is open to cross-registrants from other Columbia University graduate programs, and students from several schools at Columbia have successfully completed this course (Arts and Sciences, Business, Climate, Engineering and Applied Science, International and Public Affairs, Professional Studies, Public Health, and Social Work). The course is approved for the Certificate in Sustainable Finance requirement.
While this course has been taught in online and HyFlex (hybrid flexible) formats, the expectation is that this course will be taught in-person this semester.
- Topics on: Climate Finance, Energy, Renewable Energy, Sustainable Finance
- Course
Most recently taught in Spring 2026.
Climate change represents one of the most significant challenges of our time, fundamentally driven by human activities and amplified by the rapid pace of industrialization and economic growth. At its core, climate change is as much a technological problem as it is an environmental one – enabled by outdated methods of energy production, inefficient resource management, and unsustainable infrastructure. At the same time, technology holds immense promise for solutions for mitigating emissions and adapting to the impacts of a warming planet.
American Innovation in Climate Tech is a spring semester elective course designed for Columbia Business School students to explore the cutting edge of innovation in climate technologies. It aims to provide students with exposure to a range of industries and companies at the forefront of innovation. We will explore the latest breakthroughs and emerging technologies for addressing climate impacts in energy generation, alternative fuels, grid modernization, mobility, decarbonized materials, agriculture, and carbon management. By analyzing recent advancements and engaging directly with industry leaders, entrepreneurs, and project developers, students will gain practical insights into how new technologies are developed, piloted, and commercialized.
This course aims to empower students to actively participate in shaping technological solutions that are not only innovative, but have potential for commercial success and impact on climate mitigation or adaptation. San Francisco and Houston were chosen as anchor destinations because they showcase two distinct but complementary models of climate innovation. San Francisco, driven by venture capital, startup culture, and ambitious state climate policy, and Houston, leveraging its energy expertise, industrial base, and deregulated market to scale technologies. Together, these two areas of the country provide students with a unique opportunity to examine how business innovation will shape the response to climate change. This course relies heavily on participation and students should be prepared both for in class discussion and to speak with industry professionals during the trip.
- Topics on: Business and Climate Change, Climate Tech, Technology
- Course
The goal of this course is to introduce fundamental principles of carbon dioxide capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) that enable carbon management and are necessary for climate change mitigation. This is a survey-style class – different CCUS technology options will be introduced and their underlying fundamental scientific and engineering principles will be taught.
Real-world technologies in the carbon capture industry and examples of advanced scientific research in the field of CCUS will be discussed throughout the course. Course topics will include: point source carbon capture for power and industrial sources, carbon dioxide removal and direct air capture, electrochemical and thermochemical CO2 conversion, carbon mineralization and CO2 transport and storage.
- Topics on: Climate Policy, Climate Sustainability, Decarbonization
- Course
Most recently taught in Spring 2025
Climate change is causing preventable injuries, illnesses, and deaths, with each additional unit of warming projected to further increase morbidity and mortality from most climate-sensitive health outcomes without additional, timely, and effective investments in adaptation and rapid and sufficient reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. Vulnerable populations and regions will be differentially affected, with the potential to increase poverty and inequities.
The effects of climate change are already harming health around the world, and impacts will only intensify in the coming years. Heat waves and extreme events are increasing in frequency and strength, and sea level poses an existential threat for many urban areas. A number of major health risks are plant related. These include food and water security, changes in plant based medicines, pesticide usage, and seasonal rhinitis.
Risks for some vector-borne diseases, such as malaria and dengue fever, are projected to increase with warming from 1.5°C to 2°C, including potential shifts in their geographic range and changes in their seasonal distribution.
Adaptation (adjustments in response to actual or expected climatic shifts) and mitigation (efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions) are the primary policy responses to the health risks of climate change. Health adaptation can reduce the current and projected burdens of climate-sensitive health outcomes over the short term in many countries, mitigation in health practice and management is an additional possibility. However, under high emission scenarios, climate change will be rapid and extensive, leading to fundamental shifts in the burden of climate-sensitive health outcomes that will challenging for many countries to manage. Such challenges will be unprecedented, and there is a fundamental need for MPH candidates to communicate and address these risks in ways that are meaningful to a lay public.
- Topics on: Adaptation, Climate Policy, Sustainable Cities
- Course
Most recently taught in Fall 2025
Climate change is a threat multiplier. To eliminate inequities in climate risk, it is essential to understand the social, economic, and political factors and processes that contribute to uneven vulnerability and shape adaptive capacity in historically marginalized communities. This course explores these issues, framed by the concept of climate justice, to better explain how and why the situation is as it is presently. In this course, we will bring together interdisciplinary scholarship, social science data, commentary, case studies, policy innovations, advocacy, and practice to examine how climate change shapes society, how social systems influence our efforts to address climate change impacts, and how effectively proposed solutions respond to these impacts.
- Topics on: Climate Justice, Climate Policy
- Course
Most recently taught in Summer 2025
Disaster management is a continuum that is affected by decisions, investments and dynamics that occur before, during and after disasters. The issue of equity in disaster management is emerging from an abundance of evidence that shows that societal inequities often translate into inequitable outcomes and disproportionate impacts from disasters. Community engagement strategies are often touted as a solution to the inequities, but many aspects of community participation are complex, with additional effort and investments required for working with vulnerable and marginalized communities. Further, power dynamics between disaster experts and vulnerable communities may bias approaches to disaster management as well as representation within relevant power structures. This seminar is designed to provide an introduction to some of the variables that impact vulnerability and inequity in disaster management, ultimately leading to inequitable outcomes. It also provides an overview of current and emerging strategies in community engagement designed to foster a “whole of community” approach to disaster management.
This course is designed as an elective to the Climate and Society Master of Arts degree program. The purpose of this course is to prepare those entering the climate policy and practice workforce for addressing these challenges by providing an overview of issues of equity and building community partnerships in disaster management. At the end of this course learners will be able to:
- Describe social determinants of disaster vulnerability and resilience
- Describe how governance and financial structures can drive inequity in the disaster cycle
- Identify whole community approaches for disaster management
- Identify mechanisms to develop partnerships with underserved communities and emergent partners in disaster management
- Demonstrate the ability to develop strategies for disaster management based on best practices for community engagement and addressing equity concerns.
This course is open to graduate students in the Climate and Society MA program as well as others in sustainability management or related programs with an interest in disaster management in the face of climate change.
- Topics on: Climate Policy, Climate Resilence, Climate Science, Sustainable Cities
- Course
Most recently taught in Fall 2024
As climate related disasters continue to grow, the impacts of climate change and sustainable development on disaster threats and vulnerabilities are increasingly pronounced. Many of those in the field of disaster management are having to contend with increasing frequency and severity of disasters. Concurrently, disaster risk reduction and response frameworks are struggling to meet the challenge of 21st century disasters. At the same time, the field of disaster research is generating new insights into how the built environment, social structures, and ecological dynamics are intersecting to set the stage for disaster vulnerability, and thus can be better engineered for resilience. As this field continues to evolve, many who many not necessarily identify as disaster managers are also increasingly involved in disaster management in some capacity. With this, the dynamics of disaster risk reduction and disaster management are essential in working with communities and negotiating development activities in ways that are inclusive of a broad range of values, goals and incentive structures.
This course is designed as an elective to the Climate and Society Master of Arts degree program. The purpose of this course is to prepare those entering the climate policy and practice workforce for addressing these challenges by providing an overview of the field of disaster management within the context of climate change and climate driven disasters. At the end of this course learners will be able to:
- Describe how climate change is impacting hazards and vulnerabilities to disasters
- Describe how domestic and international frameworks are evolving in the context of climate chance and disasters
- Apply insights from social, physical and behavioral sciences to climate change related disaster management strategies
- Demonstrate the ability to negotiate complex disaster resilience issues across competing interests
- Articulate value propositions for disaster and climate change resilience efforts to multiple stakeholders
This course is open to graduate students in the Climate and Society MA programs as well as others in sustainability management or related programs with an interest in disaster management in the face of climate change.
- Topics on: Climate Resilence, Climate Science, Sustainable Cities
- Course
Most recently taught Spring 2025
Ensuring that food systems deliver food security and nutrition, fair livelihoods, and environmental sustainability is a grand challenge for governments and other food system actors, with many competing, contentious issues. Conflicts regarding land, technology, natural resources, subsidies, inequity, migration, and trade all play out in the food policy arena. Some argue that to effectively address all of the goals that food systems should achieve, they must be efficient, equitable, and sustainable. However, the political framing of how food systems are designed, function, and governed is determined by a complex set of networks of individuals and institutions with vested interests. This course is designed to introduce and guide students to:
- Investigate the equity and ethical issues of food systems in policy and practice.
- Deliberate critically about various conflicting views of who is vulnerable, marginalized, and disadvantaged across food systems, why, and the consequences of those inequities.
- Explore where there are inequities in accessing food and the implications of policies in achieving food security.
- Analyze the range of food policies and the political landscape of food in high-, middle-, and low-income countries that impact global food security, human nutrition, and broader aspects of health, food safety, economics, and the environment and climate.
- Debate who is responsible for ensuring food systems are equitable and through which policy instruments.
The course borrows tools from food systems, political science, practical ethics, political philosophy, and theories of justice to illuminate these issues that determine our common future and the way we personally and socially relate to the food we grow and eat.
- Topics on: Climate Justice, Climate Policy, Sustainable Food Systems